Tuesday, May 29, 2012

This past weekend, George Will asked why Mitt Romney is appearing at a fundraiser hosted by "bloviating ignoramus" Donald Trump. Indeed, Trump continues to bloviate regarding the non-issue of Obama's birthplace and was called out as "ridiculous" by CNN's Wolf Blitzer. So why does Romney associate with this blowhard? Romney said that he was unconcerned about Trump's "birther" beliefs as he explained his own "principles":

“You know, I don't agree with all the people who support me and my guess is they don't all agree with everything I believe in," Mr. Romney said. "But I need to get 50.1% or more and I'm appreciative to have the help of a lot of good people.”

So Romney is happy to benefit from Trump's fundraising and feels no need to denounce his falsehoods. Trump, after all, is one of the "good people," as evidenced by the amount of cash he's able to shovel Romney's way. Republican strategist Mark McKinnon also questions the association:

“I think who Romney stands with says a lot about what he’ll stand for,” Mr. McKinnon wrote in an e-mail. “Associating with Trump seems to only reinforce the narrative on Romney that Team Obama wants to push. Which is that Romney is an out-of-touch rich guywithout any real core, which means he’ll associate with anyone if he thinks it will further his ambition.”

The Obama campaign is surely pushing this narrative with an ad asking why Romney won't stand up to "voices of extremism." Watch: